Car Review of the 2003 Mazda Protege Compact Sedan and Wagon
Base MSRP Range: $13,580 to $20,480
Base Invoice Range: $12,702 to $18,927
Price Quote
MSRP As Tested: Not Available
Versions: DX, LX, ES
Vehicle Category: Compact Sedan and Wagon
Engine Location: Front Engine
Drive Wheels: Front-Wheel Drive
Engine As Tested: Standard 2.0-liter, Dual Overhead Cam, 16-valves, Inline-4 cylinder, 130-horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 135 lb-ft torque at 4,000 rpm.
Transmission As Tested: Standard 5-Speed Manual or optional 4-speed Automatic.
Fuel Economy (city/hwy): Manual – 25/31. Automatic – 25/30.
Standard Safety Features: Driver and front passenger, front airbags, ventilated, power-assisted, front disc brakes with rear drum brakes, Traction Control (optional in i), In-Trunk Emergency Trunk Release, Remote Keyless Entry.
Competition: Nissan Sentra, Mitsubishi Lancer, Honda Civic, Ford Focus, Volkswagen Golf/Jetta, Dodge Neon
The new Mazda Protege is a small car with a lot of spunk. When you hop in this little number, you're expecting its 4-cylinder engine to not be enough to propel it onto the freeway.
But this 2.0-liter dual overhead cam 16-valve engine with 130 horsepower has more than enough power to get you around town and one the freeway safely. It comes standard with five-speed manual overdrive transmission that took a bit of getting used to at first.
You can also choose the optional Sport AT automatic transmission that allows you to manually shift through the gears. It's like having the best of both worlds -- you can choose it o be automatic in rush-hour traffic and open it up and shift manually when you're free of traffic.
The Protege is a compact sedan, making it perfect for a family of four. Seats up front accommodate full-size adults and even if you're tall, you won't have to push the seats all the way back to the rear passenger seat. There's plenty of room for adults to camp out back there, too.
There are cloth seating surfaces and the front bucket seats recline. The headrests are adjustable, as is the driver's seat height and cushion.
The center arm rest and console has a comfy cover on it and dual cup holders served me well. Speaking of cup holders, there are none in the rear seating area, which makes drinks in the back quite difficult to deal with. Not to mention scary that they'll somehow tip over or be dropped and now you're shampooing upholstery or carpeting.
The roomy interior is one of the premier features on Protege. For a compact car, this sedan surprises you with just how much room is in there. Even the rear cargo area tucked under the trunk lid is nothing to sneeze at. You won't be able to fit a lot of stuff in there, but it accommodates a couple of suitcases with plenty of room left over.
Driven this week was the Protege ES, which features black-on-silver instrumentation. Instrumentation is easy to read and understand. Simple, too. Even has a tachometer. Everything else, from heating and cooling right down to the in-dash 6-disc CD changer is easy to reach from the driver's seat.
There are also two other models of Protege to choose from: DX and LX. The ES model is the highest trim level and has the most standard equipment.
The exterior of the Protege is refreshing, with its aggressive-looking black-chrome grille. You can even add a rear spoiler and fog lamps to make it really look sporty.
The ES comes standard with 16-inch alloy wheels and all-season tires. Body-color moldings and bumpers, bright-tipped exhaust outlet and rear spoiler are also standard.
In fact, for a compact sedan that has a starting price of under $16,000, the standard equipment list is extensive: Tilt steering wheel, rear window defogger, dual power remote mirrors, air conditioning, remote keyless illuminated entry, power windows and door locks, cruise control with steering wheel-mounted controls, dual map lights, intermittent wipers and a complimentary full tank of gas.
Oh, almost forgot to mention the ride and handling issues. With four-wheel independent suspension, front and rear stabilizer bars and power rack and pinion steering, you'll have no worries. It's a well-engineered vehicle.
We took it up north for a quick trip and found only one thing annoying -- a bit of engine noise at high speeds.
Safety issues are all taken care of with dual front air bags, child safety seat anchors, "Triple-H' body construction and front and rear crumple zone. For just under $500, you can add four-wheel anti-lock brakes and side air bags. That's a bargain for your additional safety.
By the way, it cost just a hair over $20 to travel 400 miles both ways up north. Highway mileage is 31 mpg on the highway and 25 mpg in the city. It was nice not to pop upwards of 50 bucks to get up north and back in our SUV.
The Mazda Protege is a really cute car, was fun to drive and has wonderful mileage numbers. I think it's a winner.
Editors' Ratings
Pros:
Cons:
Ratings (1-10)
- Style: X
- Performance: X
- Price: X
- Handling: X
- Ride: X
- Comfort: X
- Quality: X
- Overall: X
More Data
Where Built: Not Available
Major Options: Moonroof and 6-CD Package, Antilock Braking System and Side Airbag Package. Engine block heater, sport exhaust, variety of performance kits, body moldings, mud guard, wind deflector, larger wheels and tires, halogen fog lights, moonroof, in-dash 6-CD player mini-disc player, Kenwoo speakers, CFC free Air Conditioning, compass, auto dimming mirrors, cargo net, cargo tray, antitheft system.
Seating: 5
Number of Rows: 2
Crash Test Ratings:
- NHTSA Frontal Impact/Driver Crash Test Rating: Not Yet Tested
- NHTSA Frontal Impact/Passenger Crash Test Rating: Not Yet Tested
- NHTSA Side Impact/Front Seat Crash Test Rating: Not Yet Tested
- NHTSA Side Impact/Rear Seat Crash Test Rating: Not Yet Tested
- NHTSA Rollover Resistance Rating: Not Yet Tested
- IIHS Frontal Offset Crash Test: Not Yet Tested
Length in Inches: 175.3
Warranties: 4 years/50,000 miles bumper-to-bumper, 5 years/unlimited miles corrosion, powertrain none, 4 years/50,000 free Roadside Assistance.
Weight in Pounds: Manual – 2,634. Automatic – 2,687.
Cargo Capacity in Pounds: X,XXX
Gross Maximum Vehicle Weight in Pounds: X,XXX
Towing Capacity in Pounds: Not Applicable
Gas Tank Capacity in Gallons: 14.5
Destination Charge: $520
